On hot, sunny days, many people like to enjoy food and beverage while relaxing in a cool body of water such as a swimming pool, beach, or lake. Various types of outdoor furniture suitable for immersion in a body of water are known in the art. Typically, outdoor furniture designed for use in water comprises of some kind of floatable cushion or mattress, or some flotation mechanism, or is heavy enough to remain stable while resting on the bottom of the pool, lake, or beach. However, because of buoyancy and wave action, these types of furniture articles have a tendency to bob in different directions in the water, drift away, or feel unstable, unless they are tethered somehow or made heavy enough to stay in position.
Other known types of submersible furniture includes devices that are supported on the sides of swimming pools, or comprise heavy, weighted tables that are resistant to wave action but necessarily are difficult to move or reposition because of their weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,645 shows a floatable assembly for swimming pools. Such a floatable assembly is susceptible to wave action and would not be a stable surface for supporting food or drink.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,171 shows a suspended detachable swimming pool accessory that is not adaptable to sloping bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,121 shows a spa table that is portable and has a self adjusting height that increases and decreases with the height of the water surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,434 shows a buoyant chair and table ensemble that is a floating device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,026 shows an amphibious table with seats attached that includes a buoyant floating body.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,840 shows a swimming pool furniture item that has a vented assembly that can be submerged, with water inlets that receive water into the cavity of a frame. However, water must be removed by use of a vacuum system.
A desirable feature of outdoor recreational furniture is portability that would provide ease in handling, moving, and storage. This generally implies that the furniture should not be extremely heavy, but should rather be light in weight. At the same time, it is preferred that such furniture be comfortable, sturdy, be able to withstand substantial weight.
One particular issue with the use of submersible furniture in many swimming pools, lakes, and beaches is the presence of a sloped or uneven bottom. Most conventional submersible furniture relies upon flotation to compensate for a sloping or uneven bottom. A table having legs of even height would not be adaptable to such a sloping or uneven bottom and would result in a tilted table surface, which is undesirable for holding food, beverages, or gaming articles on a level surface.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt but unresolved need for submersible furniture with adjustable legs suited for use generally in a pool or other body of water with an uneven or sloping bottom, but is also easily movable and portable. Simultaneously, such furniture should be comfortable, durable, cost-effective to manufacture, lightweight, and easy to assemble and disassemble.